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Drop.io – Private File Sharing
A new file and media sharing service out of NYC called Drop.io launched its alpha late last week. It is decidedly different in approach than the other file sharing services currently available. I sat down with founders Darshan Somashekar and Sam Lessin at their office in NYC.
I asked for an overview of the Drop.io service and Darshan replied with, "with Drop.io we stripped media sharing online to its essence. We took out personal registration and the entire concept of ‘accounts’. There is no search, and no network. In as little as two clicks you can create as many separate drops as you want, making it the easiest way for people to privately upload and share virtually anything with just the people they want." I think of it as semi-private to private sharing as the only way to find a drop is to know the specific URL and, if set, password.
There are many applications for Drop.io. The one that immediately stands out to me is work collaboration space. Need to show files to a client? Use Drop.io. Or if you are working in a team and need to share files back and forth, Drop.io offers a better, cleaner, quicker interface than say DropSend or YouSendIt. Clients and coworkers can email files into a specific drop making it seamless to the client.
Sam noted a social example of how the site has been used when a test user set up a drop before going on a closed group trip. The user told the participants where the drop was and everyone on the trip emailed and uploaded in media during/after the trip all to one private place.
I can see companies using Drop.io for presentations as it will house all of the needed files in an easy location for a specific time period. Families can use the tool to categorize trip memories for other family members, or even as a really easy blogging tool that the whole family can update and view.
Drop.io handles almost any file type, Web links, notes and emails. Audio and video are supported and PDFs are viewable within the Drop.io site. Sam said that other document types (word/excel/etc) are coming soon and also commented, "Some sites only support specific types of media. Drop.io converts pictures, video, audio, and documents, to web friendly formats and whatever we don’t know how to convert we will just store ". I created several drops and found it easy-to-use and non-technical. The non-technical part is important if Drop.io wants to gain mainstream acceptance. You can setup a password to use with the drop and also an admin password for making changes to the drop after it has been created.
Check out the official sample drop and my test CenterNetworks drop.
The business model that Sam and Darshan discussed is based around one time micropayments upgrading ‘drops’. Upgrades to 1 gig of space and other premium options will be available for a small fee per drop. They hint that there are many more upgrades and customizations that they will be releasing over time.
What I would like to see is a variety of social sharing options. For example a Facebook application to share with the friends you want to. A button to direct message on Twitter. I get that drop.io is not for sharing to the world, but I still need an easy way of sharing the drop link that I create.
Darshan and Sam have provided CN with ten free premium upgrade codes. Leave your information in the comments (do not leave your email in the comment, just in the email field) and I will send you an upgrade code.
Sam left me with the following, "We’ve really just kicked off – we’d say this is an ‘Alpha’ launch, but the term has basically lost all meaning anyway. We would love everyone to play around with the site and send us their thoughts/any bugs. We are going to be refining the site directly out of the user feedback. And if you’re a Ruby programmer, we’d love to hear from you – we have some interesting stuff in the oven."
Can you please send me an upgrade code. Thanks!!
code on the way
could you please send me an upgrade code?
how is this any different from senduit.com?
can i have a code? thanks!
Yet Another YouSendIt …
any code left?
This a lovely thing started by these two guys. THey have brught file sahring to waht its ment to be. Live the interface too. Very Clean. WOuld love to try the premium service:D
sounds good , could you send me the code thanks
If you’ve got any left…Thanks
im always too late
If there is any remaining codes going i would love to give this a try.
Thanks alot
Sarge
Allen, I love your stuff, can I get a code?
Any codes left?
Would love a free code for this sevice.
Thanks in advance.
free! code!
Looking forward to trying this out with a few clients. Please code me.
curious how much the fees will be per upgrade. would love the code to give this a try.
Great look at this interesting web app. Can you please send me an upgrade code.
Thanks,
Todd
Hey, can you send me the upgrade code.
Thanks
Looks neat! Any codes left?
A code would be awesome, if you still have any left. :>
.
This might be EXACTLY what I need for a new media sharing and development forum I’m just now developing..
PLEASE.. PRETTY PLEASE.. have at least one more
upgrade code left.. with sugar AND a cherry on top.. :)
got any codes left? I’d sure like to try it.
thanks,
aa
code on the way…
I would love to give the Premium account a try :)
I use yousendit, but wish to use this, anyone got a code? Thanks.
Sound Cool do you have any codes left?
I’d love a code :)
Hey Allen, I’d like to give this service a try so please send a code my way. Thanks.
code on the way!
code on the way!
Sounds interesting, Allen. Got any codes left?
Looks very very cool and useful.
I will take a code please.
Thanks
any free codes left ill love to try this out =)
sweet, this looks way better than sendit. do you have code i can use?
THIS IS SWEET!
Would be gratefully received
Thanks !
Still a code left for a poor German??:-)
Great service!
I’d love a code :)
Thank you!
this would be great i have used usendit and rapidshare before. this sounds much easier
I have used yousendit before and would be very interesting in trying this out with my co-workers. If you have any upgrade coupons, I would be interested. Thanks.
any codes left?
_____
http://www.musicneutral.com
any codes left ?
——————————
http://www.musicneutral.com
upgrade code for me please?
I have been a sendspace user, but I am always willing to try a new product. I would love an upgrade code if you have anymore.
Upgrade code
I can hardly wait.
With a code, buddy?
With a code, buddy?
I’d like to get an upgrade code. This seems like a great service!
Sounds very interesting…would love an upgrade code to really try it out..
I would like a code if there are still some left.
Really great design and functionality. Check out our review http://www.grinn.net/blog/dev/2007/11/dissecting-dropio.html
Hi do you you have any upgrade codes left?, I’d like to try it!
Hi I’d like to try this it looks great! any more upgrade codes left? : ) thanks!
Looks very interesting!
Hoping to get an upgrade code, if I could. Thanks :)
any codes left…por favor
this looks great! if possible please send an upgrade code. many thanks!
Waooo!!
I have use Sendit before,but would love to try this!
Thanks!
Could I have a code too, please? I really like this tool and have been using it extensively.
Thanks.
Looks like most of us are too late, but a code would be great if more magically appear!
Any codes left?
Yah, stashbox.org hasn’t been doing this for 5 years.
Hook it up!
Any codes left Guv’nor?
code on the way!
Not sure how this is better then a free service like OfficeZilla.com. With OfficeZilla you get an account immediately without waiting and add people to it then you can add information. Plus there are no upload limits so if you want to upload 5 gigabytes of files, you can.
Is there any codes out there? =}
Sounds cool, specially the free part
code on the way…
May I have an upgrade code? Thanks.
code on the way…
code on the way…
Wanna check it out!
Thanks guy! Nice service!
Sounds like a fantastic idea. Can I have an upgrade code please?
I have been using Amazon S3 for this (via the JungleDisk client) temporarily but I think dropio could work much better..
code on the way!
code on the way!
I’ll take an upgrade code (please). Looks like a really useful service.
Darn